Tlacaxipeualiztli (thing)

The second month of the AztecXiuhpohualli (calendar) was Tlacaxipeualiztli. It is a spring time agricultural festival. In comparison to the western calendar, the month covered the dates we know as March 5 through March 24.

This month was known as "The Flaying of Men" and the chief god honored and worshipped during this time was Xipe Totec. During this time many temple and gladitorialsacrifices of warcaptives and slaves were made to honor Xipe Totec. The owners of slaves who were sacrificed would receive the blood of the sacrifical victim in a special ceremonial bowl so he could donate some of the blood to each of the gods he worshipped.

The flesh of the victims was cooked in a corn broth, and the resulting stew was called tlacatlaolli. Understandably, a great deal of pulque was also consumed during this time. The owners of slaves sacrificed would not eat the flesh of their victims because they felt a familial relationship to the victim.

Priests, and some warriors, would wear the skin of the victims for twenty days; this symobolized the renewal of vegetation.